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**truebluefan** · 03-20-2008, 02:31 PM

World Cup champion Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) will headline the 2008 Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships which open Saturday in Sugarloaf, ME. It's the second time in three years the Championships have taken place on Sugarloaf's challenging Narrow Gauge trail, where the nation's top development skiers will take on the U.S. Ski Team for national titles.

"It's a really important event for us because it brings the top kids that have been racing great throughout the season and puts them up against the U.S. Ski Team," said U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) Vice President of Events Calum Clark. "It's an opportunity to showcase what our development programs and national programs are doing. It's also a way for our development athletes to understand how they are measuring up against the best in the world."

Highlighting the athletes expected to defend titles is Marco Sullivan (Squaw Valley, CA), a World Cup winner in Chamonix this year, who will be looking to take downhill again. Last year's super G champion Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) and slalom winner Jimmy Cochran (Keene, NH), are also hoping to repeat.

"Winning a national championship is very important and a goal that a lot of the athletes strive for," Clark said. "There's a lot of pride involved in being a national champion in the sport."

The 2008 U.S. Championships will give athletes a unique chance to truly compete against the best in the world.

"We've had a tremendous World Cup season. We took five crystal globes, which is more than we've ever had before. We've had great success," said U.S. Alpine Director Jesse Hunt. "U.S. athletes also won nine of the 12 titles in the NorAm Cup, which is the highest level of North American races that we run. We're feeling pretty good going into our nationals."

Alpine athletes will converge on Sugarloaf for six days of competition that will bring the nations best in head-to-head competition. Sugarloaf, a former World Cup site, is a perfect place to bring the country's athletes home.

"Nationals are really a homecoming event for us. Our athletes come off the World Cup circuit and they get a chance to race on their home soil," Hunt said. "Some of the other athletes in the nation who've been working their way up through national racing get an opportunity to mix it up with the best in the world."

Several top active World Cup skiers will miss the championships due to injury. Among them are Bode Miller (Bretton Woods, NH), Steven Nyman (Provo, UT) and Ted Ligety (Park City, UT).

Racing actually begins Friday with an International Ski Federation (FIS) downhill before championship action begins Saturday. Opening ceremonies will be Saturday evening at Sugarloaf.

2008 Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships

Friday, March 21 - Men's and Women's downhill FIS race

Saturday, March 22 - Men's and women's downhill

Sunday, March 23 - Men's and Women's super G

Monday, March 24 - Men's and Women's slalom

Tuesday, March 25 - Men's giant slalom

Wednesday, March 26 - Women's giant slalom

**truebluefan** · 03-20-2008, 02:32 PM

SUGARLOAF, Maine (March 20) - Storms swept across the Carrabassett Valley forcing organizers of the 2008 Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships to cancel downhill training runs Wednesday and Thursday. Slalom will now open the championships on Friday in place of the FIS downhill originally scheduled.

"It's not a big deal, we're used to weather changes, especially in the East," said Jimmy Cochran (Keene, NH), who traveled to Sugarloaf from World Cup Finals in Bormio, Italy. "Sugarloaf has always been a great place for this event. The people are great and I see more Red Sox caps here than I do all season. It's awesome."

The new schedule is as follows:

2008 Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships
Friday, March 21 - Slalom
Saturday, March 22 - Downhill Training
Sunday, March 23 - Downhill
Monday, March 24 - Super G
Tuesday, March 25 - Men's Giant Slalom
Wednesday, March 26 - Women's Giant Slalom

The two-day storm opened with rain and heavy winds on Wednesday before shifting to snow overnight dropping four inches of granulated snow on the top of the course.

"It's not the snow that called it, we're used to that, it's the inconsistency of the snow," said Hailey Duke (Boise, ID), who captured two Europa Cup slalom wins this season. "It doesn't change things for me that much. Now I get to race a bit earlier than expected."

Opening ceremonies for the Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships will take place Saturday evening beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET and will be followed immediately by an autograph session with members of the U.S. Ski Team including newly crowned World Cup overall and downhill champion Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO).

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